CHRNA7 gene
cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 7 subunit
The information on this page was automatically extracted from online scientific databases.
From NCBI Gene:
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are members of a superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels that mediate fast signal transmission at synapses. The nAChRs are thought to be hetero-pentamers composed of homologous subunits. The proposed structure for each subunit is a conserved N-terminal extracellular domain followed by three conserved transmembrane domains, a variable cytoplasmic loop, a fourth conserved transmembrane domain, and a short C-terminal extracellular region. The protein encoded by this gene forms a homo-oligomeric channel, displays marked permeability to calcium ions and is a major component of brain nicotinic receptors that are blocked by, and highly sensitive to, alpha-bungarotoxin. Once this receptor binds acetylcholine, it undergoes an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane. This gene is located in a region identified as a major susceptibility locus for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and a chromosomal location involved in the genetic transmission of schizophrenia. An evolutionarily recent partial duplication event in this region results in a hybrid containing sequence from this gene and a novel FAM7A gene. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2012]
From UniProt:
After binding acetylcholine, the AChR responds by an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane. The channel is blocked by alpha-bungarotoxin.
Related Information
From NCBI Gene:
- 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome
Related Information
Cytogenetic Location: 15q13.3, which is the long (q) arm of chromosome 15 at position 13.3
Molecular Location: base pairs 32,030,462 to 32,172,521 on chromosome 15 (Homo sapiens Annotation Release 109, GRCh38.p12) (NCBI)

Related Information
- CHRNA7-2
- NACHRA7